At Strawberry Banke

Wednesday morning started out under the

watchful eye of Chloe and her young

sidekick, Thibodeaux...


They knew something was a foot ,
as we flittered about..
powdering, painting and poofing..
when our bags and camera cases were gathered..
it was evident that yes..
we were out for yet another adventure...


This morning we drove up the coast line toward
Portsmouth...
Stopping along the way for picture opportunities
and a little souvenir gathering..
wouldn't everybody want a few sea wall rocks?







The wind did whip around a bit...
but, in the coming days
it would show us
just how a cold Nor'easter wind could feel...

aahhh..we had eaten at "Petey's"

a couple of nights ago..

so we stop for pictures in the light of the sun..

they trap their own lobsters!

an estuary out back

a lot of floats

make for a good picture

I think he would have posed all day long!

The croquet field on the way to town

we drive through Wentworth then New Castle

Portsmouth up ahead

Michael has explained

the use of granite for the curb up here..

it's ever so plentiful and withstands the

extremely harsh winters better than the usual concrete

we are use to seeing...

(thus, explaining a picture of the curb...)

***

We are going to Strawberry Banke

a historical village museum..

an area that has been settled and populated since the early 1600s

The oldest house standing has been dated back to 1695..

we will walk through these houses..

some furnished with period furniture some

completely bare save for the ghostly whisperings of times

long past ..

but, first we will take our noon day repast

at the "River House"

down on the Pisquaticua river..

looking out at the famous hard working

Tug boats

and across to the coast of Maine...

After clam fritters, sweet potato fries

and bowls of clam "chowdah"

we walk back to

"Puddle Dock"

another name for Strawberry Banke

It was named Strawberry Banke due to the wild weedy

strawberries they found growing on the bank when

this area was first settled by the Europeans

(Brits mostly..I think)

Below, you will see the map of the village as it now stands..

we had thought a couple of hours would suffice..

and we would be gone..

we stayed till the sun was waining...

Many a house and home..

several well informed interpreters..

many, many household gardens

to wander through..

many apple trees..

Mary all but petted them..Oh, how she loves apples!

She was more than tickled when on down the lane

Cathy surprised her with a snitched apple...
(she really asked permission)

The first house we entered was the

Shapley-Drisco House.

It was furnished..

one side as it had been in

1790s the other as it was in the 1950s..

in the 1790s it was also a trading post (store)

Soon we would enter the home (built c.1795) and the world

of Mrs.Shapiro (approx. 1919)

who greeted us from in front of her warm

oven which spilled forth a most delightful aroma

of a cinnamon confection that caused our mouths to water!

On toward the end of our tour we found the Goodwin home

having belonged to Gov. Ichabod Goodwin

built c. 1811..

Mrs. Goodwin met us at the door and was

happy to relate all that she was able about her and her families life in

her well appointed mansion...

she again joined us out back in the green house

full of beautiful flowers..

all this was delightful...

yet, between the two in a small niche of the side yard

under a large tree,

we stumbled on the remains of what had been a young child's

wonderful world of make believe...

built all around the tree and flower gardens were

little tiny faerie houses and play areas..

built from rocks, sticks, birdhouses,toys and feathers..

here they could play and have their imaginations

take them away..

to places filled with sparkling faerie wings,

magical faerie dust,

merriment and giggles....

this was my absolute favorite!

After, the Goodwin house, green house and gardens

we head across the road to the Prescott flower gardens

down by the river..it was oh, so pretty!

However as the light began to sink the wind began to cut..

we stayed awhile.. but, I am afraid that old Yankee north wind

won the battle and we headed back to Rye...

Below you will find 3 slide shows..

(it is somewhat quicker..to up load or down load..Which ever)

First : the houses of Strawberry bank

Second: The Faerie garden

Third: The gardens of Strawberry Banke

and Prescott Garden.

Hope you enjoy!

(shhh...see Cathy, I told you there were faeries....shhh, see?)

The next posting will be of our trip to the

Shaker village in Canterbury NH

***